CBS: State blew two chances to flag Abdulmutallab’s visa
posted at 2:20 pm on December 28, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
The video report from Armen Keteyian doesn’t mention it, but the accompanying news story does. State had two opportunities to match Umar Abdulmutallab’s visa with the derogatory information that should have kept him out of the US. Both times, within 24 hours of each other, State failed to make the connection:
According to a law enforcement source, the first failure came on Nov. 19, 2009, the very same day Abdulmutallab father’s, Dr. Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banking official in Nigeria, expressed deep concern to officials at the U.S. Embassy in Abjua, Nigeria, that his 23-year-old son had fallen under the influence of “religious extremists” in Yemen.
The second failure to flag an active visa belonging to Abdulmuttalab occurred the very next day in Washington, after Mutallab’s concerns were forwarded to officials there. It was only after the Christmas Day terror attack in Detroit that U.S. officials learned that Abdulmuttalab had been issued a visa by the U.S. Embassy in London valid from June 16, 2008, through June 12, 2010.
This has nothing to do with watch list rules put in place in 2006. This came from a failure of State Department personnel to double-check the derogatory information against visas issued by our embassies. No one bothered to check whether a man whose father accused him of being dangerous to the US had valid paperwork to enter the country — and we’re lucky that no one lost their lives from that failure.
This is not a political failure as much as it is a bureaucratic failure. I doubt seriously that the Obama administration discouraged people from checking visas against derogatory information. But the administration has to fix the problem, and that won’t happen as long as Janet Napolitano and the White House keeps talking about rules from 2006 and how the system “worked” to save lives.
Blowback
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3rd times the charm.
portlandon on December 28, 2009 at 2:22 PM
His father was profiling. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
SouthernGent on December 28, 2009 at 2:22 PM
B+!
kcluva on December 28, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Culture of Incompetence. Barry owns that.
Maquis on December 28, 2009 at 2:26 PM
loveeely!
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 2:26 PM
I really hope some good comes from all of this, because it scares me to death every time my son gets on a trans-Atlantic flight.
Bob's Kid on December 28, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Health Care Reform. That’s all that is important, citizens be darned!
/dem leadership
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Who is the head of the State Department? Hmmmm?
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:27 PM
Hillary at State = SMART POWER
johnnybgood on December 28, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Those policies put in place by Bush, worked. Those policies, if used by the Obama administration….failed. Not because the system doesn’t work…but because those who are actually supposed to be enacting those policies, and using them on a daily basis…failed.
This was human error,complacency, and laziness.
capejasmine on December 28, 2009 at 2:28 PM
If the bureaucracy is this incompetent on what appears to be a very simple bureaucratic task, why in the hell should they be in charge of our healthcare?
Neo-con Artist on December 28, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Okay folks. Let’s juxtapose the information on MAJ Hasan and Abdulmutallab.
Hasan gave a powerpoint presentation to his fellow officers at WRAMC that was deemed suspicious. His fellow physicians suggested he was an Islamic fundamentalist and warned senior officers in his training program.
Abdulmutallab behaved strangely and his concerned father notified the proper authorities, it appears.
I’ll submit that hidsight is always 20/20, but in these two cases, it appears that people around both of these two individuals were screaming that they were potential terrorists and nobody in the government did a damn thing about it.
B+
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:28 PM
And they want to run my healthcare? And what is up with another not so nice hit piece by CBS? Are we starting to see a trend?
Knucklehead on December 28, 2009 at 2:28 PM
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?
If a terrorist cries out, does the State Dep hear it?
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 2:29 PM
But, the government will do an awesome job at running our healthcare system.
Obama said so.
Bruce in NH on December 28, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Fox just said this bho is finally going to put his face before the American public on this issue about 3. I will not listen to this bho, I can not stand his voice and he will probably give us wait till we get all the information.
L
letget on December 28, 2009 at 2:30 PM
I think that the longer obama sits on the beach, contemplating his navel and drinking margarita’s while failing to address this homeland security breach, the issue in Iran, and the eruption of the middle east – read: Israel reacalling ALL ambassadors. The worse it will be for him in the end.
He is incapable of leading. All hail, our reader in chief.
/He never should have left TOTUS in Washington DC.
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:31 PM
When the slobbering, knee-padded Matt Lauer starts questioning how this happened, Ogabe is in trouble.
Bishop on December 28, 2009 at 2:31 PM
Truth is, you can’t regulate terrorism out of existence. It’s true that these bureaucratic failures represent a lost opportunity. But if Umar’s entry to the U.S. had been blocked, he’d have just gotten a fake visa.
Likewise, the new rules about a 1-hour quiet time before landing. That doesn’t stop a terrorist, it just means they act 61 minutes before landing. Or just ignore the rule. After all, aren’t there already rules about bringing explosives onto a plane?
The entire history of our “war” on terror through the FAA is one of measure and countermeasure. 9/11 was made easier by our rules governing the takeover of airplanes. After 9/11, we outlawed boxcutters, they went with the shoebomber. Then we forced people to take off their shoes, the terrorists moved the explosives into their pants.
Regulation will never defeat imagination.
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:31 PM
I guess it’s a good thing Hillary has already decided she won’t be running for President again.
ladyingray on December 28, 2009 at 2:32 PM
How many other Umar’s are trying to get in right now? I mean, why do they have to suffer?
/s
upinak on December 28, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Obama owns this stinking pile of failure. As president, he is going to have to start taking responsibility for his administrations actions.
farright on December 28, 2009 at 2:33 PM
No doubt 75% of the speech will be blaming Bush.
capejasmine on December 28, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Kind of like (who was it – Mohamed Atta?) one of the 9/11 terrorists being issued a visa something like 6 months after 9/11.
BowHuntingTexas on December 28, 2009 at 2:33 PM
Don’t forget, they both reportedly had contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, formerly of a nice D.C. suburb.
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:33 PM
I just looked at pictures of each of the most wanted terrorists, then I looked at pictures of terrorists that were caught, then looked at terrorists who are now under arrest.
It is amazing, not one blond woman, not one woman over 35, not one gray haired white male, not one Hispanic, Asian, and each of the names have a commonality…it is pretty obvious there is a pattern, let’s see if we can find it…
right2bright on December 28, 2009 at 2:34 PM
when we act like free men and stop acting like little children.
I will be the first in line for plane that has no screening.
I and the other free men will not have a problem with some knuckle head wanting to over a plane.
uber on December 28, 2009 at 2:34 PM
By their logic, the system “worked” after 9/11 and after Ft. Hood. The Obama Admin can’t fix a problem they don’t know they have. Not knowing what they don’t know is, apparently, a ubiquitous problem with Obama and his staff and always accompanies incompetence.
Somebody just shoot me now.
SlaveDog on December 28, 2009 at 2:34 PM
I stand corrected. I’m glad he’s mustered up the guts to speak.
“I come before you today, to let you know that you nagging bloggers made me put my mug in front of the camera’s and you are seriously interrupting my va-cay-cay. But, before I get started, lemme give a shout out to Janet Napolitano. Yay, Janet.
Let me be clear. I am not amused by you terrorists interrupting my va-cay-cay. Stop it.”
“Now, back to you, Shwishy Maffews! Take it away!”
/Barack Obama
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Hillary needs to push the reset button on her career.
Wal-Mart greeter? No, she’ll probably screw that up too.
KG in Sask on December 28, 2009 at 2:34 PM
25 other Umars are trying to get in, actually.
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:35 PM
I can’t stand it. Makes me want to scream and claw my face. /Patsy Cline
Rae on December 28, 2009 at 2:35 PM
They might fly business class, but those folks still fly commercial, so this is more than a bit troubling to them. The ruling class, not so much, as they all seem to fly charter (unless they going off to meet a mistress).
Bob's Kid on December 28, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Were they all US military veterans? All wearing chinos and polo shirts? All carrying Bibles? What…I don’t get it.
Bishop on December 28, 2009 at 2:35 PM
We caught this guy, but there are still several radio talk show hosts on the loose…that should be the real focus, radio talk show hosts.
right2bright on December 28, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Law enforcement’s job is to respond after crimes are committed. So everything is working just fine. Umar got read his rights, after all!
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:36 PM
+2
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:37 PM
Well, the media keeps stressing that Umar was a Nigerian. They don’t really put any emphasis on the fact that he was a MUSLIM Nigerian, who had bomb-making friends in Yemen.
I hope this doesn’t screw up the sending of Yemini prisoners in Gitmo back to Yemen. I hear those guys already have jobs waiting for them there…
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:38 PM
The problem won’t be fixed as long as Janet Napolitano has her job and the President is a terrorist-loving radical.
highhopes on December 28, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Time for a 12/25 Commission.
JammieWearingFool on December 28, 2009 at 2:38 PM
what a concept. They are just looking for a Boom-tastic New Years!
upinak on December 28, 2009 at 2:38 PM
What, are you Dutch or something?
hawksruleva on December 28, 2009 at 2:39 PM
And AP is now reporting that a group calling themselves Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is claiming responsibility for the Flight 253 plan.
So far, everything Janet Napolitano has said is either wrong, premature or just clueless. How much longer can she last.
Good grief.
SlaveDog on December 28, 2009 at 2:40 PM
lolahahahahahahahaalaoalaolaolhahahlaol!!!
love it
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Delicious!
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:40 PM
We need to keep vigilant. It won’t be long before they starting trying this on domestic flights too.
And my kid’s a pilot……
Knucklehead on December 28, 2009 at 2:40 PM
I think Janet gets a B+ for “the system working”
I also think this Terrorist gets a A+ for peeing his pants so the $hit could not go boom.
Sanmon on December 28, 2009 at 2:40 PM
I doubt seriously that most employees will volunteer to do work they haven’t been told to do. If you don’t put in their job description, you’re discouraging it.
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Is he allowed to take a gun on board with him?
upinak on December 28, 2009 at 2:41 PM
I know it’s a puzzle, but when we find out what the common thread is, I bet we can greatly reduce any threat…I am pretty sure none of the pictures and links I clicked on (about 75 different terrorists) were ex U.S. military…and this is kind of serious, non had tattoos, which is a tip off.
If you want to hurry up screening, allow all tattooed people onto the planes…
right2bright on December 28, 2009 at 2:42 PM
im about to tell my dad to start flying to buenos aires again
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Prayers and hugs to both of you and your children.
Key West Reader on December 28, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Apparently Janet went to the Dutch and wanted air marshalls on flights to the US and the Dutch refused.
I guess, knucklehead, it might be helpful to know where air marshals are allowed.
Actually, this story gets more interesting by the hour.
ORconservative on December 28, 2009 at 2:43 PM
i do know if my dad starts piloting euro trips again, he won’t put up with any sh!t from any mamby pamby abdal’mutallab
freaking bastards
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 2:46 PM
“The system worked, but it also didn’t work” –Janet Napolitano, a.k.a. Obama doggie
Schadenfreude on December 28, 2009 at 2:46 PM
via breitbart.
Debunks the “lone nut” assertion made by JaNap
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Air Marshals aren’t going to stop some guy lighting his undies or his socks or his hairpiece to make it explode, not on a plane with a few hundred people.
It’s time to ask Israel to send over a few hundred instructors to teach our people how to properly process folks as they go through security.
Bishop on December 28, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Obama’s inept administration should not be cut any slack. Obama’s hyper criticism of Bush together with his arrogant seizing of our economy do not leave room for this type of blunder. Obama is either god or he is not. We have seen nothing but incompetence and we should not excuse it.
GaltBlvnAtty on December 28, 2009 at 2:47 PM
Newt has it right. They are “non-rotarians”, as none of them are in the Rotary Club.
txhsmom on December 28, 2009 at 2:48 PM
Who would have ever guessed that a young Muslim man, whose father targeted him as being radical, who bought a one-way ticket with cash, would ever think about doing such a thing…why would they ever suspect him, and why would they ever think of pulling him over a searching him…when you have so many women, and businessmen to search….I mean, look at the number of women who have brought bombs onto planes.
right2bright on December 28, 2009 at 2:49 PM
This guy succeeded in many ways:
- got visa, twice
- got on the plane
- had enough ammo to blow up around 300 people, on X-mas day, close to U.S., on the way to U.S.
- altered international and domestic travel – now they ask for birthdays for all profiles, since Dec. 25, 2009, and who knows what else will have changed…and better have…
- affected economy, domestic and foreign
Were it ot for his stupidity, he would have succeeded all the way. It’s just a matter of time. There are many more like him.
Schadenfreude on December 28, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Maybe air marshalls couldn’t have prevented anything but the little jihadists most likely are aware of where air marshals can and can not fly out of.
ORconservative on December 28, 2009 at 2:49 PM
I taking that as Obama owns this failure to get Abdulmuttalab’s name transferred to the no fly list or, even at a minimum, to have his visa revoked.
I’d hesitated to hit the Admin hard earlier ’cause I wasn’t sure when his father reported this and was too lazy to search for it. But there is it: November 2009. That’s the Obama Administration’s judgment and policy management in effect, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Bush.
So, I’ll ask again, is anyone in the media going to ask the Administration who is in charge of the review Obama ordered and when that person will be present to explain how far along in the process the review is, among other things?
Dusty on December 28, 2009 at 2:50 PM
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:50 PM
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Exactly, the incompetence level of Obama and his administration is criminal.
farright on December 28, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Perhaps the State-Run Media have seen the polls and are beginning to subtly distance themselves from Barack The Magnificent? I doubt it. But it would be fun to watch.
By the way, has His Magnificence said anything besides “Surf’s up!” today?
kingsjester on December 28, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Has the head jackass even made a comment yet?
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 2:54 PM
simplesimon got banned the other day….
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:55 PM
I don’t know, he’s not allowed to discuss it.
And as far as I know and from the kid pilot has told me, the crew doesn’t know if an air marshal is onboard or not.
Knucklehead on December 28, 2009 at 2:55 PM
That’s good. What about B+ Hussein Obama? Any word?
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 2:57 PM
I’m trying to figure out why he tried to detonate the thing over Detroit. Didn’t he want it to explode somewhere that wasn’t filled with Muslims and would have caused real property damage upon impact?
highhopes on December 28, 2009 at 2:57 PM
simplesimon got banned the other day….
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 2:55 PM
Don’t worry. Voxignoramus and crr6 are still lurking about.
kingsjester on December 28, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Earth to State and DHS – YOU ARE IN CHARGE NOW. IT’S YOUR JOB to ensure that the system is working, and, if it’s not, then CHANGE IT ACCORDINGLY. It’s been a year, almost – what are you doing with your 6-digit tax-payer-funded salary? Hello? Anyone there? *crickets*
DINORight on December 28, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 2:57 PM
He’s on vacation and must not be disturbed. Which is centainly different from when Bush went to Crawford.
kingsjester on December 28, 2009 at 2:58 PM
I think that this admin needs to do a complete overhaul of their security forces.
Two people crash a state dinner, a couple wander in to have breakfast with the O and a young man attempts to blow up an airplane.
All in a day’s work.
I knew that Hillary at State would be a travesty.
hippieforlife on December 28, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Any news on the “no passport” lead? Visa or no, this guy may have been able to get around any security measures in Amsterdam by claiming he’s a refugee from Sudan without a passport.
Are Sudanese refugees able to get to the US without a passport and visa now? We are opening the door wide to our destruction.
DINORight on December 28, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Ohhh, that’s who you meant…! nope, just a *thwack* of a shanker that skipped off the cart path or a *nice pecs!* yelled from the weeds near his bungalow…
ted c on December 28, 2009 at 3:01 PM
SOS Hillary will keep us all safe. Hillary Care will keep us all healthy. /NOT
Geochelone on December 28, 2009 at 3:03 PM
The Boob is on the tube now.
Knucklehead on December 28, 2009 at 3:03 PM
The only way muslims should be allowed to fly into the USA,
Searched, secured and restrained
macncheez on December 28, 2009 at 3:05 PM
I can’t bring myself to watch or listen to him. Has he blamed Bush yet?
farright on December 28, 2009 at 3:06 PM
disrupt, dismantle, defeat ?
Isn’t that what Booooosh said?
macncheez on December 28, 2009 at 3:06 PM
He just said that the perp is charged with TRYING TO DESTROY AN AIRCRAFT.
WTF, not murder?
Barry has order a complete review. Top gubmint people are working on it, no worries.
He just said pockeystan.
Geochelone on December 28, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Not tie again?
macncheez on December 28, 2009 at 3:07 PM
The diva spoke
macncheez on December 28, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Nah! They’d never ever try doing anything with domestic flights would they?
American flights 11 & 77, United flights 175 & 93…all domestic.
Trafalgar on December 28, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Sounds like a good excuse for a drinking game.
I’ll be belting back some Jim Beam, straight up, just so it burns a little more with each mouthful.
turfmann on December 28, 2009 at 3:10 PM
That’s wrong.
A Good Solid B+
antisocial on December 28, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Where is our resident Hillary apologist?
Oh yeah, promoting Hillary on Janet Incompetent’s thread. Why am I not surprised?
ladyingray on December 28, 2009 at 3:13 PM
WTF does Pockeystan have to do with this? Did he mention Yemen…you know, the place where this plot originated and where he just released Gitmo terrorists to and has another 95 he wants to send there?
Trafalgar on December 28, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Bwaaah. She’s an incompetent power hungry politician, nothing more.
Geochelone on December 28, 2009 at 3:13 PM
CNN dumbas just said this is a good thing because it shows that we’re having an effect on al qaeda.
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 3:16 PM
CNN’s Rick Sanchez says this terror attack is proof that we’re going in the right direction militarily. It’s a good thing.
Ronnie on December 28, 2009 at 3:17 PM
This is hard to understand. Per JaNo the system worked. Per JaNo, the failure is because of the same system put in place by Bush. At least that is what I hear her saying.
Oleta on December 28, 2009 at 3:18 PM
God luv ya
blatantblue on December 28, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Bless their hearts.
thomasaur on December 28, 2009 at 3:24 PM
You are all missing the point…
The ‘system’ actually did work. The bureaucrats followed Obowma’s politically correct ‘Rules of Engagement’ to a tee!
And now they are back peddling on the very sensitivity training bull sh%t that they put in place?
Now everyone can share the feelings of our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
That’s the true outrage…
Seven Percent Solution on December 28, 2009 at 3:27 PM
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